TwentyFive
by LadyLinus
Summary: Ash is kidnapped on the eve of his twenty-fifth birthday. Delia believes that only Misty can save him, but Misty and Ash haven't spoken in three years. Can she save him from his birthright and forgive him for what tore them apart?
1. Prologue

A/N: I know, I know, I know. I'm working on three multi-chaptered at a time! I must be crazy, but the muse bug has bitten me and I gotta get this stuff out. I'm attempting a rotating work thing, I finish a chapter of each before I update the first one, this way I won't get burnt out on one story or update too quickly.

Anyway, THIS story. I'm actually a bit proud of this one. It's one of the first fics I ever wrote and I loved it so much that I'm revamping it, the same as The Ira Crystal. In this one I have Giovanni playing the role of Ash's father, which is the opposite of what I actually believe but it works for this story. Let me know what you think, this chapter is short, but it's just the prologue, setting up the story.

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Prologue

Misty rolled her eyes upward and groaned at the two shadows blocking the sun from her.

"What?" She snapped, "Did you not get the hint every time I ignored your phone calls?"

"Don't be mean to us," Jessie smirked flipping her dark red hair over her shoulder, "You have to know we won't give up."

She sighed and sat up, pulling her sunglasses down on the bridge of her nose, "That's true I guess, what do you want?"

"We need a favor," James leaned down so that he was closer to Misty's level.

"What makes you think I'm going to do a favor for you? Not to be rude, but I haven't seen or spoken to you in over 9 years."

"Oh, the favor isn't for us," Jessie trailed off smiling almost evilly.

***

"No, no, no, no." Misty shook her head and began to back away as she recognized the house they were standing in front of, "I can't go back here, I…I can't." her voice became softer as she shut her eyes.

"Relax," James' voice was surprisingly soothing, "he's not even here."

Misty looked up at him in shock, "How do you…?"

"It doesn't matter, all that matters is that there's someone in there that really, really needs to talk to you," he pushed her forward a little and Jessie nodded.

"We'll wait out here for you," she smiled.

Misty tried to swallow the lump in her throat and knocked hesitantly on the front door. Almost instantly, it was opened and she was greeted by a familiar pair of brown eyes.

"I'm so glad you came, I don't know what I would do if you hadn't," Delia sighed pulling Misty into a tight hug. The younger woman hugged her back feeling her eyes well up with tears.

"I didn't know where they were bringing me, but even so, I could never say no to you."

Delia straightened up and put on a smile, "Well, come in. I have a lot to tell you," she said stepping inside so that Misty could follow.

The house hadn't changed a bit in the last 3 years. There were pictures of Ash during various stages of his life covering every available surface. Her eyes fell onto one picture of her and Ash in their teens. Laughing with their arms around each other's shoulders. She gazed sadly at her childhood friend almost entranced by his eyes. Delia watched the younger woman as she traced a finger lightly on the photo of her son.

"He misses you, you know, we all do," Delia said softly, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"If it's all the same, Delia, I'd rather not talk about Ash," Misty said with a little snap in her tone.

Delia smiled, "I'm sorry, I can't promise that. Because the reason I asked you here has a great deal to do with Ash."

"You're not trying to get me to forgive him are you?" Misty's eyes narrowed as she realized this might be some sort of trap.

"No, no, no, nothing like that. Misty, please sit down," the older woman gestured to the couch and Misty obliged, "tea?"

Misty nodded and allowed Delia to pour tea in the cup in front of her, "So what is this thing? This Ash related thing that no one else could help you with."

Delia didn't answer, she took a long slow sip of her tea before taking a deep breath, "Ash has been kidnapped."

The redhead froze, "Why are you telling me this? Shouldn't you contact the police or something?"

"The police won't be able to help, the only person that can help, is you."

"Why me, Delia?" Misty asked sadly, "I don't even want to think about him, let alone help him."

"First, I need to tell you a story," Misty sat back in the couch and crossed her arms over her chest, she knew that she was being rude but at the moment she didn't care.

"A long time ago, I was sixteen and I fell in love with a boy," Delia started, "He was kind and handsome and I was young. We were too in love to be careful, that 'it won't happen to me' mentality, and then it did. When I told him that I was pregnant, he changed. He was older than me, almost twenty-two, and he already had a child. That was when I found out who he really was."

"Who was he?" Misty asked a little worried about the answer.

"Giovanni, and he was next in line to lead Team Rocket."

"Wait, so Ash's father…is…"

Delia nodded, "I never told him, I was too ashamed, so I made up a story about his father being a trainer who was out on some grand adventure."

"But, I don't understand, what does this have to do with Ash being kidnapped?"

"I told Giovanni that I didn't want my child to be raised in Team Rocket. He agreed to let me raise Ash on my own under the condition that when he turned 25, he was given the option of becoming the heir to Team Rocket."

"So you think Giovanni kidnapped Ash?" Misty asked.

"I know Giovanni kidnapped Ash, after he disappeared, Jessie told me that they had him."

"I still don't know what this has to do with me…"

"I need you to get him back," Delia set down her teacup and folded her hands together, "Giovanni has been monitoring Ash's life for a long time and he knows who all of you are. But I'm hoping that you've been gone long enough that all we have to do is change your appearance a little and he won't recognize you."

Misty shook her head slightly then put her head in her hands.

"I know!" the older woman stood and moved so that she could wrap her arms around Misty, "I know, it's a lot to ask. But there isn't anyone else. There isn't anyone that Giovanni wouldn't know."

Misty's shoulders shook slightly but she managed to compose herself before raising her head, "If I do this…it's not for him." She said softly, "I don't care what happens to Ash."

"I understand, thank you Misty," Delia smiled.

"_If_," Misty put all of her stress on that one word, "I do this, I'm doing it because of you."

"Well?" Both women were startled by another presence in the room, "What did she say?"

"She hasn't answered yet," Delia answered Jessie's question as she looked at Misty expectantly.

"I…" Misty started to shake her head but then sighed, "I'll do it."


	2. Haille

A/N: There will probably be one at the end too, but I have to address this now. Misty's name, is pronounced Hay-l. Like hail. Not Hailey. I think it's pretty, and I'm the author.

Without further ado, enjoy!

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"If I behave as though this is a completely normal situation, then maybe it will be..." - Rebecca Bloomwood "Shopaholic Takes Manhattan"

Chapter 1: Haille

She reached a hand up to touch a lock of her hair. Misty had never been anything but a redhead and now she wasn't. Jessie and James had cut and dyed and teased her hair beyond recognition.

Her reflection didn't look or feel like the Misty she had grown accustomed to seeing. Her skin was darker, thanks to James' spray tan, and her hair a dark mahogany. She didn't look like herself, but she didn't look bad.

Behind her, she watched Jessie pace back and forth while James seemed to be watching Misty, enjoying her reaction to the makeover.

"We need a name," she was saying, "Obviously Misty's not going to work."

"Why won't Misty work?" Misty asked, "I can't be the only Misty alive."

"No, but we want to throw off as much suspicion as possible, and Misty might raise an eyebrow or two," Jessie went on.

"Besides, it'll be fun, like acting," James smiled, "You like acting in your sister's productions don't you?"

"Well…yeah, that's pretty fun," Misty conceded.

"Then we need to think of something, something…Team Rockety. You know some girls change their name just to seem more mysterious."

"Oh yeah? What's your real name?"

Jessie laughed, "Jessica. I don't get the luxury of having a new name, but it works because James and I have this Jesse James thing going on."

"What's in it for you?" Misty finally asked, turning to look at Jessie.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Delia wants her son back, but I don't understand why you're helping her."

Jessie took a deep breath, "Because Ash doesn't belong here. And I had a nice cushy place as heir before he came along."

Misty's jaw dropped, "You were the child…the one Giovanni had before Ash!"

She nodded, "After my mother died, I was put into Giovanni's care and raised to inherit Team Rocket, but then he gave us the task of stalking Ash. I never knew the real reason why. All of this was sprung on me a couple weeks ago."

Misty turned her attention back to her reflection as Jessie went back to listing names.

"Haille," Misty suddenly announced.

"What?" Jessie and James looked at her with interest.

"Haille, I want that to be my name."

Jessie thought for a moment, "That's actually really good. Haille…yeah, I like it. Where'd you come up with it?"

"It's my middle name."

"Well," James stood up and held his hand out to Misty, "Are you ready to try on your uniform, Haille?"

As if to put the icing on the "Not Misty" cake, her uniform made her look even darker while revealing more skin than Misty was accustomed to.

"Wait here," Jessie had said as she stood Misty next to the wall outside of Giovanni's office," I was put in charge of finding Asher's partner but Giovanni will still want to look at you."

So here she waited, she couldn't hear anything from inside of the office and the hallway itself was clear. Misty decided that this was a good time to let her sisters know that she was okay and would be unreachable for awhile.

Her eldest sister answered almost immediately, "Cerulean Gym, Daisy speaking."

"Hey, it's…me," Misty said trying not to use her name.

'Hey, Little Sister! What's up?"

"Um," she ran a hand through her hair, "I just wanted to call to let you know that I'm not going to be home for awhile."

"How long is awhile?" Daisy's voice dropped a few octaves.

"I'm not sure, Daisy…I can't really get into everything right now but I want to let you know that I'm safe, and I'm okay. But I won't be able to contact you for awhile."

"Misty, what are you talking about?"

Jessie stepped out of the office and gestured for Misty to come in.

"Daisy, I gotta go, but don't worry about me, I'm fine. I'll send someone to talk to you soon," she hung up before Daisy could ask anything else.

"Well make sure your sisters don't worry," Jessie said almost sympathetically.

"Thank you."

Misty pushed herself away from the wall and followed Jessie back into Giovanni's office. There was a pretty girl sitting at a desk in the first room. She was wearing a modified version of the Team Rocket uniform that showed less skin. She smiled at Misty as they passed her desk but Misty was too focused on the door ahead to smile back.

She had never seen Giovanni before, but she had ideas built up in her head. When they were children he was this scary being. Ash, Misty and Brock had quickly decided that if Jessie and James were part of Team Rocket, it must not be much of a threat. But this dark, mysterious "Boss" seemed a little terrifying. As if there really was something sinister behind the bumbling Team Rocket they knew.

Knowing what she knew now, she couldn't help but wonder if he'd look like Ash. Maybe she'd see some of the qualities that Delia had seen in him when she was sixteen. The man sitting behind the desk startled her. He was handsome, that couldn't be denied. His eyes were dark and almond shaped, where Ash's were round. Looking at his father, made Misty realize how much Ash looked like his mother.

"Please, have a seat," Giovanni's voice was like caramel sauce as he gestured to the leather chair on the other side of his desk.

Misty did as she was told as Jessie sat in the chair next to her. She couldn't help but feel like she was about to be sold. She stared straight ahead while Giovanni's eyes slid up and down her body, taking in every inch of her.

"So, Haille, was it?" she nodded and Giovanni continued, "Jessie tells me that you've shown an interest in Team Rocket before, but it wasn't until now that she thought there was a suitable position for you."

Misty nodded dutifully, although she wished that they had collectively come up with a back story.

"I trust my daughter's judgment fully, but, of course, nothing is permanent," he leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the desk, "Obviously if your personality clashes with Asher's I won't force you to remain together. But a trial run is perfectly acceptable."

Giovanni pressed a button on his phone, "Caprice? Will you send Asher in?"

"Yes, sir," came the clear reply.

It wasn't more than a few seconds later that the door behind Misty opened and shut and she knew there was another presence in the room. Her entire body tensed as she gripped the arms of the chair tighter. This was all happening so fast, she had only agreed to help Delia less than twenty-four hours ago. James placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, she had no idea how they seemed to know so much, but for once, she was grateful.

"Asher, thank you for coming so quickly. I have someone for you to meet," Giovanni nodded his head at the chair next to Misty, obviously expecting Ash to sit down. Misty hadn't even noticed Jessie standing up. Asher sat down and Misty glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He looked exactly the same, just wearing a Team Rocket uniform as well. Her heart started pounding and she realized that he hadn't even looked at her. He was completely ignoring her and she was sitting right next to him.

_How dare he! _She thought, _how dare he ignore me when he's the one-_

It was then that she remembered that he didn't remember her, and he didn't know what he did.

"As you know," Giovanni continued, "Everyone in Team Rocket has a partner, and we've had some trouble finding a girl suitable for you. Your sister thinks she's found her, Asher, meet Haille."

At her introduction, Asher turned his head to her side and looked at her in the same manor that his father had. He started at the bottom and worked his way up, when he reached her face their eyes locked briefly before his narrowed.

"I don't need a partner," he insisted, turning his attention back to Giovanni.

"Everyone has a partner, even you," Giovanni responded, "Jessie has a partner, I had a partner when my mother was in control of Team Rocket," at this, Jessie sucked in a deep breath, "and you too, will have a partner."

"But I don't need one! You don't even let me do anything," Misty tried to hide her smile, he was beginning to act like the old Ash, "I need a partner to sit in this building and do nothing with me?"

"I'm not asking for your input on the subject, Asher, please show Haille to her room," Giovanni dismissed them with a wave of his hand.

For a second, Misty thought that Asher was going to argue but he stood up quickly and started to walk out. Jessie gestured at Misty to follow as she and James occupied the seats Asher and Misty had left.

They walked down the hallway in silence. Misty was fine with not talking to him, but she thought that it might be harder to get his memory back without speaking.

"I don't need a partner," Asher mumbled angrily.

"You made that pretty clear," Misty smirked.

Asher stopped outside of the elevator and turned to look at her, "Your name was Hailey?"

"Haille," Misty corrected, "Like the weather."

He nodded absentmindedly, as if only half listening to her. They got quiet again, it was awkward enough that they both exhaled loudly when the elevator doors opened.

The building had been so large and looming from the outside, but inside was even bigger. The elevator seemed to take hours as it climbed up to the top floors of Team Rocket's headquarters. The air was tense between Asher and Misty, both for completely different reasons.

Finally, they slowed to a stop and the doors opened again. Asher took off immediately down the hallway with such a quick pace that Misty had a hard time keeping up with him. He stopped abruptly outside a door with _1837 _printed on it in gold letters.

"This is my room?" She asked as he opened the door and gestured for her to follow. It was a nice room, the left wall was covered entirely in floor to ceiling windows and the remaining three with dark wallpaper. All of the furniture was ultra modern, dark cherry wood and metal accents. A large king sized bed in the middle of the room, and matching dresser and vanity scattered against the other walls. Across from the windows was another door that, upon inspection, Misty discovered led to the most luxurious bathroom she had ever seen.

Asher laughed, "This is _our room."_

_

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_A/N: Had to throw them together somehow. :) Things are definitely going to start picking up soon. I hope everyone has enjoyed this!_  
_


	3. Dual Missions

"You're completely overreacting," James sighed as Misty slammed the door to his and Jessie's room shut, "As you can clearly see, it's standard here. Jessie and I have one room, one bed."

"It's different!" Misty shrieked, "You've known each other since you were children."

Jessie raised an eyebrow, "Do I have to remind you that so have you and Ash?"

"It's different…" she insisted but her voice softened, "What happened to the compassion you were showing me before about all of this?"

"It's still here, but come on! We can't roll out the red carpet for you," James put his hands on her shoulders and sat her down on the edge of the bed.

"That's been bothering me, how do you two even know?" she seemed a little calmer but Jessie and James kept their distance.

"Delia told us, when she said that you'd be against doing this and we asked why," Jessie shrugged as she sat down next to Misty on the bed.

The newly brunette woman looked down, she didn't know that Delia knew. If the roles had been reversed, Misty wasn't sure that she'd tell people on her side of the breakup everything that she did.

"So," Jessie punctuation the word by slapping her hands on her knees, "should we get down to business?"

"Business?"

"We're trying to get Asher back to Ash correct?" Misty nodded, "So you need to know everything I know."

"That makes sense, so what do you know?"

"Well the timelines don't add up, from the time that Delia said Ash disappeared and when Giovanni introduced him to me as my brother. There's about two weeks missing. I don't know what happened to him then, but I think I know what's keeping him this way."

She got up and moved her back to the door, "There's these pills, he takes one everyday. I don't know exactly what they do but I think it affects his brain."

"So I have to figure out what these pills do? Why don't we just have him not take one?" Misty asked.

"Okay, sure. A sister he barely knows or a woman he doesn't want around, who do you think he's more likely to take advice from?"

"I get your point, okay," Misty rolled her eyes and stood up, "So play nice to get Asher to trust me enough?"

"Good girl," Jessie laughed ushering Misty back out of her room and shutting the door behind her.

She sighed and leaned against the wall next to Jessie and James' door.

_I can do this_, she thought with a sigh. _I can pretend for a little while._

_Misty pushed herself away from the wall and walked slowly back to the room Asher and her would have to share._

_Since Misty had walked out of the bathroom in her pajamas, Asher couldn't stop snickering._

"_Are you really that terrified of me?" he asked, taking in her appearance. _

_Misty frowned and crossed her arms over her chest, "I'm not terrified of anything, this is what I always sleep in." _

_Asher nodded slowly, "There's still a tag on your shirt."_

_Her cheeks flushed slightly as she reached to pull it off. After leaving Jessie and James' room, Misty had gone back to her room and began to unpack her suitcase. When she had reached her planned sleep clothes, a cami and shorts, Misty decided to go shopping. She came back with at least five different outfits of flannel shirts and pants, the least attractive sleepwear she could find._

_He shrugged and stripped down to his underwear before jumping into bed, leaving his clothes scattered on the floor. It was a habit so reminiscent of Ash that Misty caught herself smiling slightly as she shut off the light and crawled into the other side of the bed._

"_I've decided," Asher announced into the darkness, assuming that Misty hadn't fallen asleep yet, "that it's better to be nice to you, even though I still don't think I need a partner."_

_She smirked, "That's very nice of you."_

"_As long as you're nice to me," he amended._

"_Of course," Misty yawned allowing herself to fall into a deep sleep._

_Asher lay on the other side of the bed, too exhausted to get up, but too awake to fall asleep. He turned his head to the side and stared at Haille. She was pretty when she slept, her face washed free of the makeup that had covered it before and a soft smile resting on her lips._

_He couldn't help but wonder what she was dreaming about. Her family? Friends? Maybe a boy, but Asher didn't dwell on that idea for too long. He knew what was expected of him, if there was one thing that Giovanni was most concerned about, it was the continuation of his line._

_It was the reason he had to have a partner, not for any sort of camaraderie or protection, Asher was supposed to make Haille fall in love with him. _


	4. He's Still Himself

Asher always woke up before Haille. He was usually the last to fall asleep too, leaving him an endless amount of seconds to study her. When she was awake she kept herself guarded. Her days were filled with asking questions and wandering around her new home but she would quiet down if he ever asked about her. He wondered what she did when they were apart, he wanted to know where she grew up, what her childhood was like and all the tiny nuances that made her who she was.

When she was sleeping she seemed more open and vulnerable. Her face was relaxed and he continually noticed that she was very pretty. She had practiced the faces to make and makeup to wear to enhance her features but even free of all that, she had a natural beauty. She looked more at home in the flannel pajamas she still insisted on wearing than her uniform or even the couple times she wore jeans and a t-shirt. And sometimes when she was really asleep, she would talk. He's listened to full conversations and incoherent mumblings, she would frown and smile and sigh multiple times in a night, and the common link was always a name, Ash.

The first time she said it he thought she meant him but it was said in a different way than she said his name. It was hard to describe but almost like there was a weight behind the name, like saying it brought up a million different emotions in her. He hated hearing it, whoever she was talking about was clearly male and that made him think it could be a boyfriend from before him or even someone she's still seeing.

Asher's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door and Haille's eyelids fluttering open. He pulled the blankets back and walked stiffly across the room, yawning as he opened the door.

"Morning, baby brother!" Jessie chirped in a vaguely sarcastic tone, "nice outfit, aren't you usually up by now?"

Asher didn't respond just narrowed his eyes and sighed.

"Giovanni would like both of us to be in his office in 20 minutes. He apparently tried calling you several times but your phone was turned off. How unlike the prodigal son," her eyes shifted behind him to the bed, "Good morning Haille, you're looking lovely as always"

He turned his head to look at the girl in question and smiled as she laughed, "I'll meet you and Giovanni in 20 minutes." He focused his attention back on Jessie but wasn't able to wipe the smile off of his face fast enough. Jessie smirked and shut the door behind her as she left.

Haille curled her knees up against her chest and watched Asher as he got dressed. He tossed the clothes onto the bed as he pulled them out of the dresser.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked without looking at her.

"Yeah, did you?"

Asher nodded and slid his pants on before walking into the bathroom. Haille watched with interest as he brushed his teeth then pulled a pill bottle out of the medicine cabinet.

"Hey, Asher," She started as she stood up and walked up behind him, "what are those pills for?"

He froze for a second, staring down at the bottle, "These? I have a...head...thing."

Her eyes locked with his in the reflection mirror, "A head thing?"

"Yeah, I've had it my whole life. If I don't take them, I get a migraine. A really bad one, so I take them." he shrugged.

She nodded and seemed to accept his answer as she pushed him out of the way to wash her face.

"Did you know that you talk in your sleep?" Asher asked as he walked out into the bedroom and slid a shirt over his shoulders.

Haille laughed, "Yeah, my sisters used to make fun of me all the time for it. Especially when I got older and started talking about boys."

"You have sisters?" he was surprised by this random trivia.

She mentally kicked herself for not keeping her personal information in check but smiled at Asher, "Yeah, three older sisters."

He nodded, tucking in his shirt and watching her walk over to the wardrobe and pull out a clean uniform.

"Who's Ash?" Asher asked quietly noticing her visibly stiffen at the sound of the name.

"He's an old friend," Haille replied shortly, "Why? What have I said?"

Asher was shocked by her tone, "Nothing really, I keep hearing his name but anything else you say doesn't make sense. It was just the way you said his name, it made me curious about who he was." She still hadn't looked at him or moved from her spot across the room making him instantly regret asking, "I have to go, I'll be back later."

She nodded but waited for the door to close before collapsing on the bed and letting the tears fall. Haille shook her hair out of her eyes and caught sight of her reflection in the vanity mirror.

"Stop it," she ordered, "That's enough. It's stupid of you to be this worked up." Taking a deep breath, she stood up and wiped her eyes while continuing to get dressed.

Haille walked slowly down the hall toward Jessie and James' room. They had to wait until Asher was meeting with his father to talk, in an attempt not to seem too suspicious. She wondered if they had spoken to her sisters, Haille had turned her phone off just in case so she had no idea if they had been calling her.

She also found herself imagining what Delia was doing right now. It must be hard, to have your son's future in the hands of someone else. People you weren't sure you could trust and a girl who wanted nothing to do with the boy she was supposed to be saving.

Haille reached her destination and raised her fist to knock on the door but was startled when James opened it.

"Good morning, I was hoping you'd come by." he smiled.

"Is Jessie back yet?" she asked walking past him into the bedroom.

James pouted and shut the door behind him, "How mean, you didn't come just to see me?"

Haille smiled and rolled her eyes a bit, "Well, I have news and I think it's something I should tell both of you."

"Hopefully she'll be back soon then, but talk to me while we wait," James sat down on one of the plush chairs, gesturing for her to do the same, "How are things with Prince Asher?"

"Things are, interesting, he's been strangely nice to me the last couple weeks, part of me wonders what he's planning."

"He's not planning anything, he's accepting his fate," James shrugged.

"His fate?" she leaned forward with interest, "What exactly is his fate?"

"Why do you think he has a partner? It's not as if Giovanni is going to let his heir gallivant around in forests where something might happen to him. You are here to help make babies."

Haille choked in shock and her face flushed, "Excuse me?"

James laughed, "He can't do it by himself, trust me, if there was a way, the Dianno family would be using it." he saw the expression on her face and continued, "Don't take it as an insult, it's actually a compliment. It means that he finds you attractive, otherwise he would have asked his father for a different partner."

"Forgive me for not feeling more flattered," she sighed leaning back into the chair. Then a thought struck her as she glanced over at James.

"Is that what you are?" she asked sitting up with interest, "Are you and Jessie..." Haille trailed off with a smirk.

James narrowed his eyes, "What we are, isn't any of your business."

"You know," she stood up and walked across the room, picking up random items off the top of the dresser, "I always had a hunch about you two. I said something to Brock once, when we were children, but he brushed it off as me just being a romantic preteen."

James nodded, his eyes closed, "Yes, just like everyone's hunch about you and Ash. Remind me, how long did it take one of you to speak up and how long were you actually together?"

Haille shot a glare back at him, a look that James readily returned as the door opened and Jessie waltzed in.

"Hello Haille, how are you? Things looked cozy this morning," Jessie smirked at Haille as she sat on the edge of the bed and crossed her legs.

"He sleeps in his underwear, I have nothing to do with it," Haille shrugged.

"Your future sister-in-law had something to tell you, and then I think she was leaving," James sighed sinking down into the chair and rolling his eyes.

Jessie gave him a strange look but turned her attention back to Haille, "News? Good news?"

"I dunno, just something I thought I should tell you. I talked to Asher about those pills, he said that when he doesn't take them he gets migraines. Do you think that's possible? Or do you think it's psychosomatic?" Haille tilted her head to the side slightly.

"Could be real, I don't know all the things Giovanni has scientists working on." Jessie shrugged, "But it's good that he's talking to you, maybe you can keep going and convince him not to take them. It could be as easy as that, and he snaps back to himself."

"He's still himself," Haille murmured.

Jessie and James exchanged a look but didn't say anything.

Somethings are more pronounced than others, but he's still Ash. He still sleeps in his underwear and laughs that obnoxiously loud laugh..." she trailed off realizing that she was speaking aloud.

"I'd better go, before someone starts to wonder why I spend so much time here," Haille sighed as she stood and walked toward the door, "I'll let you know if I find out anything else."


	5. Walls

Asher sat on the bed, his back against the headboard and feet stretched out in front of him. A magazine was open across his lap but it was merely a pretense to watch Haille. She sat cross legged at the foot of the bed her eyebrows furrowed as she worked out a crossword puzzle. They had been partners for almost a month, and in that time Asher had set to work memorizing her. It started as a way to earn her trust, if they were supposed to be together he would rather it be something she wanted than something she was forced into. As time went on, he did it because he was genuinely interested. Her habits weren't something he needed to know, they were something he wanted to know. He wanted to know more about the three sisters she had only mentioned once. He wanted to know the things that made her laugh and cry, her hopes and dreams. He wanted to know Haille inside and out, but he wasn't sure how to approach the subject with her. Asher had never been the pursuer in a relationship, always the pursued. Relationships happened to him, not that his track record for actual relationships was that big. A truer statement would be, sex happened to him. Ambitious Rocket grunts who wanted a story were all too eager to bed the next heir, and that was all he was to most of the people here, the next in line for this wicked throne. Things could be different with her, she seemed to take little interest in who he was to the company, she spoke to him like a normal person. Unafraid to contradict things he said, and always willing to put him back in his place. Asher's thoughts were interrupted by Haille groaning softly from the other side of the bed.

"Do you want help?" He asked startling her. She looked up at him with an expression of confusion.

"Help? From you?"

"Yeah, I think I'm pretty good at crossword puzzles," Asher shrugged. She hesitated but moved over to sit next to him. They both stared at the newspaper in silence until he pointed to an open space "Evolution."

"What?"

"Sixteen across, evolution," her hand didn't move so he continued. "Professor Elm's focus, it's evolution."

She nodded slowly and wrote the letters into the small boxes, "Oh, right. Have you ever met him?"

Asher shook his head, "No, but I've read some of his research." She looked up at him but didn't hide her smirk fast enough,

"What?" He laughed.

"Nothing, I just didn't realize you read." she smiled.

"I have a lot of downtime," he scanned the puzzle again, "seven down is The Great Gatsby."

She filled in the answer then set the newspaper on the bedside table and leaned back against the headboard, shutting her eyes.

He studied her for a moment, weighing his options before leaning forward and pressing his lips gently against hers. He ended it almost as quickly as it started, leaving Haille feeling dizzy for a moment. She opened her eyes surprised to see that he had gone back to reading his magazine, almost as if nothing had happened.

"Asher?" she asked softly, her voice cracking.

"Yeah," he turned his head and gave her a strange look. She didn't say anything else so he sighed, "I'm sorry. I thought maybe..." he trailed off and shook his head, "you didn't kiss me back, it's fine."

She broke eye contact briefly, trying to gather her thoughts.

"I just, I don't..." she looked back up at him, "I haven't really dated much since my last serious relationship. My only serious relationship. It didn't end well, and you remind me so much of him."

"What happened?" Asher asked, "I mean, if you don't mind talking about it."

"We were friends for a long time and I guess I had always had a crush on him, one of those childhood things that you expect to just go away with time, but it didn't. Everything just got deeper and I guess he had feelings for me to, or at least thought I was cute. We dated for a few years and then we were older and obviously people started joking about marriage," she drew in a deep breath, unsure if she wanted to tell the rest of the story.

"I don't know what happened, maybe he got scared with how serious things were getting. Maybe he just realized that he didn't like me all that much, maybe he found someone else. He just took off, I tried calling him and asking his friends and family. But no one knew where he went, or maybe they weren't telling me."

She finally broke her gaze away with a slight laugh, "And that's that."

"He never tried to talk to you?" Asher's expression looked more confused than anything.

"He did, a few weeks after he left but at that point I had nothing to say to him. I haven't really spoken to him in years." She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. She wanted him to remember and feel horrible, but he still just looked confused.

Haille couldn't blame him for being confused, she was confused. She was mad, sad, heartbroken, and amidst it all, hungry. Hungry for what she used to have, what her life used to be. That gentle kiss awakened something inside of her that she had worked so hard to push down. Months and years of denial and anger all undone in a single moment. Her head told her that she should yell, scream, or hit him. But all she wanted to do was kiss him again.

Asher kicked his legs over the side of bed and sighed, "I have a meeting with my father tonight." Haille turned to look at him but didn't respond, so he continued, "I have the day off tomorrow, do you think you would want to go out."

"Out?" She asked, her expression unreadable.

"To dinner. Maybe a movie. Whatever you would like, we haven't spent any time outside of the tower since you arrived."

"Oh, yeah. That sounds fun." Haille answered slowly, wondering what had brought his sudden interest on.

He nodded and stood, walking over to the door and leaving without another word. Haille stared at it, as if waiting for him to reappear. When he didn't, she laid her head down on the pillow and closed her eyes, willing sleep to fall over her.

Haille didn't wake up again until late the next morning. She was still wearing her uniform, although Asher must have taken her jacket off while she slept. She rolled onto her back and yawned, feeling like she hadn't slept in days although according to the alarm on the nightstand she had been out for almost 11 hours. She moved her fingers up to her lips, Haille could still feel Asher's lips against hers. She shivered slightly and dropped her hand down quickly, startled by a sudden snore from her right. She turned her head and saw Asher sleeping next to her, dressed in a long sleeved t-shirt and jeans, he looked comfortable and safe.

The wall she had built up was slowly starting to crumble, leaving her feeling scared and vulnerable. But when he slept he looked so harmless that she couldn't figure out why she had been so afraid in the first place. Her hand shot out and gently brushed an errant strand of hair out of his eyes. The gesture surprised her but she didn't pull her hand away, not until his lips parted and he exhaled softly.

Haille froze, unsure of what she heard. She only had to wait a few moments, lying there so still she was barely breathing, before he whispered it again. One word that caused her eyes to widen and heart to beat faster.

_Misty._

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the delay in updates, things have been really crazy with work and having a social life. I promise, I do plan on continuing and finishing every fic I have going right now, it might just take a bit.

This chapter was a little bit filler, that's why it's so short. But I had to explain (finally) what Ash had done to Misty, and to me, it doesn't seem out of character. It's not the nicest thing to do, but I can completely see him freaking out and running. And I can completely see Misty ignoring his calls once he figures out what he's done. Also the next chapter is pretty big and I didn't want to make it too long by including this and that.


	6. A New Desire

His eyes fluttered open, his pupils dilating and contracting rapidly before settling on a normal size. Haille was still frozen on her side of the bed, staring at him, waiting for him to speak. His eyes locked onto hers for what seemed like hours before he finally tore them away and glanced at the digital clock behind her head.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to sleep in so late." He started as he sat up running a hand through his hair, "Have you been awake long?"

She shook her head, still not sure if she could trust her voice.

"Good," he caught her gaze in his own again. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she nodded and cleared her throat when her voice came out roughly, "yeah."

"You're not having second thoughts about tonight right?" His face remained passive but there was a strange expression in his eyes. Haille shook her head, "Good, we have a reservation at eight-thirty."

She slid off the bed and into the bathroom without another word. A few minutes later, he heard the shower run. Once he was sure she wasn't going to come back out into the room he settled his head in his hands and let out an agonizing groan. He was perfectly still for almost ten minutes before allowing himself to stand up slowly and walk out of the room.

Haille emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of steam, surprised to see Asher gone, but decided to shrug it off as she got dressed. She wasn't sure what had made her agree to this date, her feelings were still very conflicted where he was concerned. On the one hand, he was still Ash and her heart was still broken. But on the other, it was getting very easy to pretend that he was a different person altogether. She snapped out of her thoughts and took a hard look at the contents of her closet. Hanger after hanger of uniform pieces took up the most space, and then a couple of casual tees and jeans. She hadn't packed a single item of clothing suitable for a date. Sighing in annoyance, she slipped on the first thing she saw and grabbed her purse, praying an outfit would be easy to find.

* * *

At eight-twenty, Haille rushed through the lobby and out the front doors of the skyscraper that made up Team Rocket's headquarters. She and Asher had agreed to meet out front twenty minutes ago but Haille had become sidetracked while she was getting ready.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, I'm not usually like this," she stopped short when she caught his expression. He was staring at her, his mouth slightly open and his eyes brighter than normal, "What?" she asked suddenly worried she had chosen incorrectly.

After hours of searching, Haille had finally stumbled across a navy blue dress that hugged her figure but she could comfortably move in. It was a simple cut, strapless with just a hint of flare from her waist, giving the illusion of an hourglass figure. She paired it with a simple diamond pendant and matching earrings, a black clutch and dark strappy heels. Though she never showed it, when she became "dating age" her sisters had instilled in her what makes a great outfit and Haille was very good at following their rules.

"I've never seen you look so pretty," he answered softly. She flushed as he continued to stare at her, making a tingle run through her entire body.

"We should probably get going, we don't want them to give our table away." She smiled breaking his trance. He nodded and held his arm out to her as they walked down the street. "Where are we going that's within walking distance?"

"Just a little restaurant, Vincini's. Great Italian food, usually packed but still feels private," he responded.

"And you were able to get a reservation on such short notice?" she smirked, "Now you're just showing off."

"The way to a woman's heart is either connections or food, this way I'm covering both bases." They laughed as he stopped in front of a small brick building buried between two larger metal ones.

It was the sort of place you would miss if you weren't looking hard enough, but also Haille's idea of perfect. He opened the door for her and she fell just as in love with the inside. Round bistro style tables with partitions staggered around the small room and fairy lights strung from the low ceilings. Asher had been right, it was packed but still somehow intimate. He gave his name to the maitre'd and they were led to a table in the back.

"Do you come here often?" she asked conversationally as she scanned the menu.

"I used to, but I haven't been able to make it lately, I've been a bit tied up." He grinned.

"It's adorable, like we're all alone in a charming little town. The fairy lights feel like stars." Haille whispered taking in their tiny corner.

"I thought you'd like it, I was glad we were able to get a table. Otherwise I would have cancelled the whole thing." He winked at her then smiled up at the waiter that came to the table, "Hello, I think we'll just have whatever the special is tonight and a bottle of merlot."

Haille raised an eyebrow as the waiter retreated with a slight bow of his head. "Trust me," Asher chuckled.

* * *

He opened the door for her just before they both stumbled into the room, laughing. He pulled his jacket off, tossing it to the side and loosened the tie around his neck before half falling and half sitting on the end of the bed.

"Thanks for going out with me, it was a lot of fun." He smiled at her. Haille had ripped off her shoes the second they got in the elevator and she set them next to the door now. Her cheeks were flushed due to the 2 bottles of wine they had split with dinner, her hair had started to fall out of the loose updo leaving tendrils framing her face.

She laughed taking a step toward him, "It was. I'm glad we did it," she broke off, catching him staring at her again. The whole course of the night she would look up and he would be watching her. It sent a shiver through her body as his eyes burned into hers. She hadn't felt this way in a long time, this level of desire. She took another step so that she was standing above him, their eyes never leaving each other.

The conflicting feelings were starting to get to her, she was aware enough to know how badly she wanted him, and even that he felt the same way. But the voice in the back of her head kept reminding her that this was Ash and she hated him. Truthfully, she didn't, and that was the real problem. If she hated him, the line would be much more defined and she wouldn't have to worry about anything. But she loved and wanted him as Ash almost as much as she did as Asher.

His eyes flickered briefly, displaying another emotion, one that she couldn't place. But the slight break in eye contact forced her to make a decision. In an instant, Haille had closed the gap between them, pressing her lips against his.

He was surprised at first but very quickly reciprocated, parting her lips and deepening the kiss. Afraid that the second she let go it would all be over, she slid her hands to his shoulders for bearing and moved her legs onto the bed on either side of his. His hands moved to her waist, making her position more secure but neither one broke contact.

Haille felt suddenly cold, she needed to be closer to him. Her fingers slid against the fabric of his shirt until they found the buttons. She fumbled a little then groaned against his mouth, pulling the two sides of his shirt until it tore open. He shrugged out of it and she rested one of her hands over his heart, feeling it pound beneath her palm. She didn't notice the tears rolling down her face until he pulled away.

"H-hey," he struggled to catch his breath, "We don't have to do this."

She smiled at him, rubbing the wetness off her cheeks before leaning forward and kissing him gently. "I know, but if we don't, I'll be really disappointed."

She pulled back again, standing at the edge of the bed she reached to her side and unzipped her dress letting it fall to the floor. He stood up to meet her but she pushed him back a little roughly, causing him to fall back onto his elbows. Haille kicked her dress to the side and reached back pulling the bobby pins out of her hair, glancing at Asher she saw his eyes on her and his breathing quicken. She slowly crawled over him, their bodies pressed against each other as she kissed him hungrily.

He shifted his body underneath her, trying to undo his pants without giving up the activity at hand. She giggled, breaking apart just long enough to push herself up on her hands and knees. Her hand slid beneath them, finishing the task he had started while pressing her lips against his neck and shoulders. A few short kicks later and they were in the same state of undress. Haille sat up so that her weight rested on his thighs. She looked at him with concern, his expression was so serious.

"Asher?" she asked, he didn't respond right away so she called to him again.

"This..." he started but changed his mind, deciding to go with a different approach, "There's something here, right? More than just physical?"

She grabbed his hands and pulled him up to meet her, sliding his arms around her back in the process. "I think that I could fall in love with you," she whispered.

* * *

Haille woke up slowly, registering first that she wasn't wearing anything. Next, she turned onto her back and felt something draped across her. She followed it lightly with her fingers until she connected with Asher's shoulder. She smiled as the night before flooded her mind. She hadn't felt this good in a long time, warm and comfortable and wrapped in the arms of someone who cared about her. Asher began to stir next to her, pulling her tightly against him before opening his eyes.

"Good morning," he smiled, kissing her forehead.

"Good morning, do you have a meeting today?" she asked.

"Not until later," as he answered her, he kissed her on the lips this time and she turned slightly so that they were facing each other.

"Again?" she murmured against his mouth.

"It's a new day," he sighed, pushing her onto her back. The foreplay didn't last as long, neither did the act itself and when they were done they clung to each other, struggling to catch their breath.

Haille sighed, laying on top of him with her head against his chest. She wanted this to last forever. She wanted Asher forever. It was the most certain she'd been about anything during this whole stupid mission. She wanted to wake up every morning in his arms, she wanted to kiss him every time the mood struck her. As if proving her point, she lifted her head up and pressed her lips against his. She knew, that she couldn't have him. It was impossible and unfair, to get what she wanted she'd have to disappoint a lot of people. She had to let him turn back into Ash and let him out of her life again.

"Hey," he whispered, stroking his hand lightly down her back, "I gotta get up and start getting ready."

She rolled over to his side and watched him sit up and rub the sleep out of his face with the palms of his hands.

"Asher?" He turned to look at her and she lost her nerve, but continued in a softer voice, "Don't forget about your pills. After all the wine we drank last night you definitely don't want to risk a migraine."

He inhaled sharply and gave her a look that chilled Haille to the bone, his eyes darkened, just long enough that she caught his change in demeanor. "You're right," he smiled sadly leaning down to kiss her one last time before walking into the bathroom shutting the door tightly behind him.

And she hated herself for what she had done.

* * *

A/N: This is what happens when you have a day off and nothing to do. Add in some insomnia and you get two updates in as many days. Hopefully you're still enjoying where this story is going. Only a few more chapters left.

I did something a bit different in this chapter, anyone notice?


	7. Phase Two

A/N: Holy I'm sorry this took me so long to update. My schedule has been crazy busy and I just wasn't too inspired to write. But hopefully I'll do better now that work has settled down. Also, this chapter is a bit short but it's mostly lead up to the next one so hopefully you aren't too mad at me. :)

* * *

Asher stared at the ceiling watching the grooves and ridges form elaborate pictures.

There was something wrong with him.

He didn't notice it until earlier this afternoon, when he was sitting alone and tried to remember the night before with Haille. When she had mentioned any detail, an image popped into his head, but if he tried to conjure a memory of his own, it wouldn't work. That was when he realized that it was true for everything. He had a hard time coming up with his own past information without someone mentioning it first.

Haille entered the room then and stared at him on the bed. She smirked briefly then her expression turned serious.

"What's wrong Asher?" she asked sitting next to him.

He didn't sit up or turn his head to look at her, "I can't remember anything."

Her heart jumped up to her throat, "What do you mean? What are you trying to remember?"

"It started with last night, but then I realized that I haven't been able to remember anything."

"You don't remember last night?"

"I did, after you mentioned it."

"That's not really remembering then," she paused for a second then her eyes lit up, "you mean you don't remember anything unless someone says something? And then what happens?"

He gave her a strange look, "Then I remember. But if you don't supply them, I can't remember details."

"How long have you been like this?"

"I don't know. I guess I can't remember a time when I wasn't."

Haille bit her lip and thought, "What do you think your mother looks like?"

Asher looked up at her in alarm, "I don't know my mother. And I just told you that my memory is weird." he looked angry but she continued.

"I think you probably have her eyes, I mean Giovanni's eyes are dark but yours are shaped differently."

He caught sight of his reflection in the mirror and his expression softened, "what else?"

Haille smiled a little, "I think she had to be beautiful, for your father to fall for her. Maybe she had auburn hair..." she glanced at Asher looking for any sign of recognition.

"What?" he asked catching her stare.

"Nothing, I was just seeing if maybe you thought of something."

"I can't remember someone I never knew."

"I know," she sighed, "I just thought maybe...something."

"Sorry," Asher snapped insincerely.

"Don't be, you're right how would you remember someone you never knew?" Haille's eyes seemed calculating for a few moments. "So you don't have any memories on your own, someone has to mention it. But it also has to be something that you knew. Like your brain locks them down until they're recalled?"

Asher nodded and laid back down.

"If this is the only way you can remember being, how do you know it's weird?"

"It doesn't feel normal." he said simply.

Haille bit her lip and backed up to the door, "I think it's normal for you and I guess that's all that matters" she supplied knowing that she didn't sound too convincing. She hesitated in the doorway for a second watching him lay there. He looked so sad and confused, she felt a little sorry for him. But then she remembered her task and left the room, quietly shutting the door behind her.

Jessie and James' room was on a different floor so Haille had time to think before reaching them.

What she couldn't understand was how these pills were able to erase part of his memory. How was it able to completely remove Delia but leave details experienced as Asher? She supposed figuring out all the mechanics of the drug wasn't as important as what they did to him.

Haille reached Jessie and James' door and only knocked once before it opened quickly and she was pulled in by the former.

"What the hell?" she asked rubbing the spot on her wrist where James had grabbed her.

"What the hell, indeed." Jessie smirked cocking her head to the side and raising an eyebrow at the younger woman. "We didn't bring you here to rekindle an old flame, you're supposed to be figuring out what's wrong with him."

"Why do you think I'm here? He told me, at least he told me something," she stopped suddenly, frowning. "What are you talking about? I'm not rekindling anything."

"You're sitting inside of one of the world's largest criminal organizations' headquarters. The place that houses our most important members and you are currently sharing a room with the heir to the whole damn thing. Are you really so naive that you believe there aren't cameras everywhere?" Jessie paused to allow her words to sink in. "There are 4 people whose only job is to sit in the control room watching footage from every camera. That's literally all they do."

"So you know what happened last night," Haille's cheeks turned pink and she looked away from them.

"Everyone knows what happened last night, it's all anybody here can talk about," James interjected.

"Truthfully, it's a good thing. Because outwardly it looks like you two are doing what you're supposed to. He's seducing you and you're in a prime position to mother the next heir." Haille blanched but Jessie continued, "But I just want to make sure that this development isn't going to harm the mission."

"How do you mean?"

"Asher isn't real, he doesn't exist. Ash is in there somewhere and he has to come back, you can't erase what happened between the two of you."

"I know that!" Haille snapped, offended they would even think that.

"Good. So, what did he tell you?"

As Haille relayed the information about his memory that Asher had told her, she wondered if Jessie had a reason to be concerned. While she had a hard time admitting it aloud, she knew that she still had feelings for Ash and a situation where they could be together without the baggage of their past was enticing. At the same time, she didn't think she could do that to Delia. She had promised that she'd bring Ash back to the way he was before and she intended to keep her word.

"Maybe it's time to move onto phase two," James said quietly once Haille had finished speaking. Jessie shrugged in response and bit her bottom lip gently as she thought.

"What's phase two?" Haille asked.

The older woman hesitated then sighed, "We were thinking that once you gained enough trust, you could try to get him to stop taking the pills. I know he said they give him a migraine but we won't know what actually happens until it happens right?"

Haille nodded, "I could try. I guess. If it doesn't work, we've still gotten this far."

"Then it's settled, phase two is a go." James smiled, "now, I'm starving as Jessie wanted to wait for you and wouldn't let me go down to the mess hall."

"Don't call it that," Jessie shook her head but didn't hide her smile.

"I could eat," Haille giggled as James held out his arm to her.

The three of them rode the elevator down to the cafeteria-like dining area in an easy camaraderie, as if they really were just old friends and not people with a common mission. They entered the room to see Asher already sitting at a table by himself. Jessie elbowed Haille and led the way in his direction.

"Fancy meeting you here," Haille laughed sitting in the seat next to his as Jessie and James sat across from them.

Asher grinned, "I think my sister sees you more than I do."

"You're always in meetings, you don't expect me to sit in the room by myself all day do you?" Asher didn't respond, instead sliding his hand with hers between them. Haille smiled briefly until she caught Jessie and James looking at her.

"I'm going to grab something to eat," she said quickly letting go of Asher's hand and pushing her chair away from the table. She walked swiftly over to the counter gathering her thoughts in a way that hopefully looked like she was perusing the menu.

Jessie watched her walk away then leaned across the table toward Asher, "You like her, don't you?"

He frowned at his older sister, "Yeah. Obviously I like her. Why? Did she say something about me?"

She hesitated for a second then lowered her voice. "Be careful with her. Don't let her fall too hard." Asher watched curiously as she gestured to James and they both stood and moved to a different table.

"Did they just leave?"

Haille had returned to the table with both a pasta dish and grilled cheese sandwich. She caught Asher's raised eyebrow and laughed, "I was so hungry I couldn't decide."

Fifteen feet away, Jessie slid money across the table to a quiet blonde and whispered "Keep me informed on anything else that happens between them, no matter how innocuous it seems."


End file.
